It Can't Last Forever
by Twilight Memories
Summary: After winning the Battle for King, Brago takes Sherry back to his world as his queen. However... since she is just a human, Sherry can live only oh so long. Brago learns this the hard way as she slowly dies in his arms...[Oneshot, songfic!]


_Well... read and review! No flames, please! Just constructive criticism. If ya hate this story please tell me why. Oh, and a note, this is a songfic. The song "My Immortal" by Evanesence inspired me to do this fic. I KINDA used the words from that song, too. But since ffnet doesn't let you do real songs anymore in your fics(or so i've heard), I have altered the words to my own liking. :) So don't nag me about that, 'kay?_

_Eh... here's the story. -.-_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Zatch Bell OR the song "My Immortal" by Evanesence, which isnpired this fic._

_Oh, and sorry for any OOCness that occurs in this story. I'm quite sure there is some. -.-_

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It Can't Last Forever

It was a sunny summer afternoon in the Mamodo World. The birds outside were chirping and the people of the land having a joyous day. I was standing on one of the balconies on the castle, facing the enormous backyard. I turned my head to the side and smirked when I saw Sherry walk up to me.

She had grown old, yet somehow kept the beauty she had when we first met. Her appearance wasn't _too_ different… Her hair had turned from a bright, golden blonde to a pale blonde. I suppose that being in a different environment with different things had altered the way she aged, because I remember being back in her world and seeing the different elderly people there. They looked _nothing_ like Sherry.

I didn't mind, but… how long did humans live? My appearance, since we met, had hardly changed at all. The main difference in my own looks was that I had grown in height. When Sherry and I first met, I had been about a foot shorter than her. Now I was a few inches taller than the human. Other than that, there really weren't many changes.

_Slowly I realize the cold truth ahead_

_How much time left do we have together?_

_Now and then I ponder about you_

_Soon you will leave me_

_Forever…_

Sherry's azure eyes wandered over to me and she beamed. I couldn't help but mirror her expression. She was the only person that I had met in my entire life that could make me feel these emotions. After I won the Battle for King so long ago, I brought Sherry with me. I knew that we both couldn't stand to be away from the other forever…

The human reached me and wrapped her arms around me as she rested her head on my chest. I kissed her forehead and embraced her as well. Strange to think that a demon like me would have fallen so damn hard for a human. But it wasn't so bad… so what if she became my partner? At first we both hated each other, but that hate had transmuted into love. We shared precious moments together afterwards… tangible, unforgettable…

Suddenly I felt the human's breathing slow down immensely. I ended our embrace and looked down at her questionably. "Sherry? Are you feeling OK?"

Sherry only smiled up at me and nodded. "Yes, I'm alright."

I didn't like the sound of her voice. It sounded so… tired. I asked again. "Are you sure? You don't look alright to me."

"Brago, I'm fine," responded Sherry. "I'm just perfectly… fine…" Without warning, Sherry fell down but I quickly grabbed her. My eyes were wide. I didn't like this… what the hell was it…?

Was it time for…?

I shook my head. I would not permit such thoughts. Sherry was healthy, so why was I thinking that? Wait…

_I thought I'd never see us suffer again_

_Seeing our troubles were gone_

_But I was wrong, they're all back_

_Now that you're leaving me_

It was then I realized that the other had stopped breathing for a few seconds. I yelled out her name, and then I felt her breath return to beating on my face.

"Come on, Sherry," I mumbled, picking her up bridle style as I carried her into the room the balcony was attached to. Sherry looked up at me with those bright blue eyes of hers and apologized.

"I… I'm sorry, Brago…"

"Don't be," I murmured back. I could feel her stop breathing for a moment yet again, which worried me. Setting the blonde on the bed in the room, I gazed down at her as she looked up at me, too. It was then I fully realized that this was the end… for Sherry.

It was a horrible thought. How could I think of such things? I sat down on the bed next to the human and cradled her in my arms.

_I've tried to tell myself that you would eventually leave_

_Though you are right here with me_

_I'm beginning to feel more alone_

"Sherry…?" My voice was but a mere whisper, but the other could hear me. Slowly, she smiled, and rested her head on my chest like before.

"Like I said… I'm sorry, Brago." She breathed in and out a long breath as she sighed. I only watched with anxiety as her inhalation slowed down even more…

This… this wasn't happening. How the hell could it? Sherry and I… were supposed to stay together forever… Damn it. "You're not leaving me, Sherry," I spoke to her. She sighed again, slower than the last time.

"I can't help it," she said softly. "If it's time for me to go… then it's time." She stared back up at me with her sparkling cerulean eyes. It was good to see that the look in those orbs never changed; it was always the same. "Besides," began the woman, "I was with you for a reasonable amount of time… We had our laughs… our cries, everything together… I'm happy about it all, really…"

_I wish that you wouldn't leave_

_But fate I cannot change_

_Your presence is still lingering_

_And now it won't leave me alone_

I said nothing. It was true; Sherry and I had about everything together. The only thing we didn't have was offspring, but neither of us wanted any for some reason. But it wasn't fair that us mamodo lived longer (_much_ longer, actually) than humans. Hell, we could live for some thousand years. And what about a human's lifespan? They barely lived a hundred.

Sherry's breathing was starting to slow down even quicker now. I held onto her tightly and looked down at her face. I didn't want her to leave me… I had just been crowned king and she was already about to die!

"Sherry," I repeated her name and could feel her shake her head ever so slowly. I watched as she raised her hand and rested it against my own. Hers looked so pink compared to mine… but I could start to see its color fading away.

Why did she have to die…?

"Brago, I want to tell you something." Sherry's eyes were gleaming even more now. Right on her deathbed, she was still in a happy mood. She still looked just as beautiful, she was just as charming… but why her of all people?

"What is it?" I asked, my voice shaking. Nothing usually worked me up. But this did. Sherry's soon to be death worked me up. She'd leave me forever as soon as she was gone, and then I'd be left with no one…

Her final words came out slow, and my eyes widened when they reached my ears. "…I love you, Brago…" I was about to respond to her, but she then closed her eyes and exhaled her last breath.

"Sherry?" My heart was sinking. "Sherry! No… Don't die on me…" The grip of her hand on my arm loosened and it fell. I embraced her corpse in my arms, not wanting to let go.

No… so this was the end? How the hell could it end like this? I hate the damn fact that humans had to live so shortly… It seemed as if it were yesterday when I first brought the human to my world as my queen. All the tangible moments we shared… the battles… everything… were all memories now. I helped her through her troubles and she helped me through mine. And now… the greatest thing that happened to me in my entire damn life was gone forever…

_When I saw you cry I'd wipe away all of your tears_

_When I saw you scream I'd wipe away all of your fears_

_And I would hold your hand through these many years…_

"Sherry…" I whispered. I closed my eyes and rested my head atop hers and sighed unhappily to myself. So… it finally happened. She was dead.

Gone forever…

Opening my eyes, I remembered back to when I first encountered her. She was about to be killed then, too. But I saved her, and because of that action two great things happened in my life. First off, I became king, yes, but I also formed a relationship with Sherry; one that would affect my life for all eternity.

There was that time, right after we met, that I threatened to kill off her little slave she kept around with her. The old man was just a little pawn I discovered, but my plan didn't work. No… once again, Sherry had threatened to kill herself. Luckily she didn't.

Over to the balcony, I could see the sun setting. Sherry loved sunsets… too bad that she didn't get to see this one on her last day.

I stared back at the motionless figure of the human. I caressed her cheek with my hand and sighed. My last day with her… Her last moments… Why the hell did this have to end this way? I almost wished that Sherry was a mamodo, so that way we could stay together… forever, perhaps?

_Just by the sound of your voice_

_You chased away all the sanity in me_

_And now I can't get you out of my mind_

_Especially now that you're gone_

Her face was so emotionless… Death crept all around her. It was in the air, all around us. I hated Death for this… Damn it!

Gently, I set the woman down and rested her on the bed. I gazed down at her, and noticed that, even though she's dead, she was still as beautiful as ever.

Why must a demon like me have to go through this? It wasn't something that I was meant to go through… but I am anyway.

Slowly, I turned around away from the dead figure of Sherry. I walked out of the room and quietly closed the door. After walking down the hallway for a bit, I felt anger rising within me. The next thing I knew I was on a rampage destroying a few statues off to the side with my fists and a Reis attack.

"Damn it!" I yelled. "Why the hell did this have to happen? It's not fair! She's DEAD!"

_This is something that time cannot erase_

_No longer can I hold you in my arms_

_Nor wipe away your tears and fears_

_Because you've left me forever…_

It must have been a few minutes before I finally calmed down. My fist collided one last time with something solid, this time the wall. A small dint was created where my fist was. The walls in this castle were strong, so they couldn't get damaged too easily. It'd take a massive spell to really damage them.

I turned my head around only to see a servant staring at me oddly. When my crimson gaze landed upon him, they erected their back and bowed.

"Your Highness," said the mamodo. "Is there something wrong?"

At first, I was silent, but then I sighed and shook my head. "Prepare a grave for me, will you." I commanded. They seemed to be a little confused, so they tried to question me but I only snapped back, "Do as I say!"

They bowed again and spoke in somewhat of a panicky voice. "Yes, Your Highness. Where would you like it located?"

I thought about this. Where did Sherry like to spend most of her time…? Oh, on the hill where a large field of flowers were. She and I would always go there together…

"On that large hill with the flowers," I said. "Now go." The other nodded and darted off.

As soon as he left, I turned around and felt like smashing something else. So I did. This time the mark in the wall was much larger, and a bit of dust rose into the air. Staring upward, I felt myself feeling frustrated.

She's gone now. Gone forever… And there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

Suddenly a strange feeling swept through me. It was almost as if Sherry was in the room with me… As if her spirit was beside me. I clenched my fists and stared at the ground. A thousand years from now, she wouldn't be able to see off the new competitors for king like I would. She wouldn't get to see anything else that happened in the mamodo world, just me becoming king. All because she was gone forever…

_These wounds will never heal_

_The pain is way too real_

_Now that you have left me_

_Forever…_


End file.
